Locking system for railway-switches.



E. W. VOGEL. LOCKING SYSTEM FOR RAILWA Y swlrcHasfi 1 APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19. 1908.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916 4 SHEETSSHEET I.

lizvenforx W Zzggazze 77 7096? THE COLUMBIA PWOGIAPH co. x-llNuT E. W. VOGEL.

LOCKING SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY SWITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I9, I908- Patented Feb; 15,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Jzze day THE COLUMBIA PLANouRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D. c-

E. W. VOGEL LOCKING SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY SWITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1908.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

E. W. VOGEL.

LOCKING SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY SWITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1908. 1,171,991. Patented Feb. 15,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- lllhM TED STATES PATENTFFIcn EUGENE w. VCGEL, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs, AssIeNon TO THE RAILROAD SUPPLY COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPQRATI ON' OF ILLINOIS.

LOCKING SYSTEM son nAILWAY-sWIrCHEs. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE l/V. VocEL, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Im provement in Looking Systems for Railway- Switches, and declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My'inventionrelates to railways and more particularly'to means for locking switches and a control system for such means. I

My invention has for one of its objects to provide a simple and compact switch lock of novel construction.

A further object of my invention is to so' construct and arrange an electrically controlled switch look so that it may also act as a circuit maker or a circuit breaker,

thereby avoiding the necessity of auxiliary contact devices which are usually associated with switches in addition to the lock device itself.

A further object of my invention is'to provide a switch lock which will'operate to control a switch arranged on either side thereof without requiring a reversal. of the.

lock and its supporting casing.

A further ob]ect of my invention s to provide a novel systern of distant control for a switch lock together with return indior its Figure 1 is a side elevation of a preferred form of switch lock housed within 1ts 1nclos ing casing; Fig. 2 is a plan view with'the Specification of Letters Patent.

cover removed; Fig. 3 is aview, partly in section and partly in side elevation, taken on line 33 of. Fig. 2; Fig. sis a transverse section taken on line H of- Fig. 3; Fig. 5 s a diagram showing a section of track having a switch therein together witha con trolling circuit for said switch extending from a remote point; and Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are diagrams similar to Fig. 5 showing different arrangements of control circuits.

Referring. to the-'drawings, A is a casing Patented Feb.15,1916 Application filed February 19,1908. Serial No. mares. i

open at the. top and preferably made inthe form of a single casting.

a, a are feet whereby the casing may be secured to theties or other-supporting structure at a point adjacent a. switch. Within the casing and preferably integral therewith are a pair'of alined hubsor bosses A and. A at the center of the casing.' within'these bosses is astub shaft B, this shaft extending entirely'through thehub A and the correspondin side wall of the casing and beingseated in a closed bearing a in theicom'panion hub- The shaft may be held in position by means of a pin C which is carried by the hub A and extends into a groove 6 in the inner end of the shaft. This pin permits the shaft to rotate within its bearing but prevents axial displacement,

On-the outer end of the shaft is a crank-arm B" towhich ispivotally secured one end of a rod B The other end of'this rod is that when the switch points are noved the crank-arm and its connected'shaft are oscillated. In the drawings the parts are shown in the positions which they occupy when the switch is locked", a longitudinal slot 6 in the shaft being now on the upper side. The slot 12 is. adapted isreceive the lower end of a key D which is slidably mounted within bearings a and a in the endsof the hubs A and A respectively. When free to do so the key drops intothe groove 'orslot and} holds the shaftsecurely These hubs orbosses dofnot ineet Journaled 1 against rotation. It will be seen that the key is securely supported at its ends in the'rigid structure of the casingaand that any tend:

. videa support for switch contacts.

ency on the part of the shaft to rotate-is resisted. entirely by the key and the casing, so that no strain comes upon the operating mechanism for the key. This mechanism may therefore be made light and sensitive.

E is a magnet of any suitable type suitably mounted within the casing at one side of the shaft. T he armature c of this magnet is carried upon an arm 7 projecting clownward from one end of an'elongated arm F which is pivotaily supported intermediate its ends as at f. The opposite end of the arm F'is connected to the key in any suitable manner, as for'example, by means of links.

f which are pivotally connected at their opposite ends to the arm and tothe key, respectively. T he parts are so proportioned that, when the magnet is energized, the armature is attracted and causes an oscillation of the arm I" in such a direction that the front end to which the key is attached rises, thereby lifting the key out of engagement with the shaft; supporting the arm F is to extend the bracket E which passes across one end of the magnet, and to p ovide a fork c in the upper end of this bracket; the lever-arm lying within. this fork and being supported upon adjustable bearingscrews or the like 6 The end of the lever arm is preferably extended somewhat beyond the point of connection with the key, as at-F, so as to pro- The portion 1?" may conveniently be made T- shaped, each arm of the T carrying one of the contact members G and GT. Each of the contact members may conveniently be provided with a pair of spring fingers g and respectively, one of the fingers being adapted to engagewith a fixed contact when the parts are in locking position and the other finger being adapted to engagewith asec- 0nd fixed contact when the parts are in the unlocking position. The contact members G and G, are insulated from each other and from the lever by means of postsof insulating material H. The members G and G are connected to binding posts orothc'r terminals I ant 1 respectively. The fixed contacts with whichv the fingers g and g are adapted to cooperate are indicated at K and K respectively, each of these fixed contacts comprising an upper member 6 adapted to cooperate with one of the fingers g, .and alower member is for cooperation with one ofthe fingers g. The members and 7c are of course insulated from each other so that the terminals I and I are connected in different cir uits in the locking and unlocking positions of the parts.

It is often desirable to have acircuit breaker or a circuit closer, or both, which will come into play when a switch has actu: ally been thrown into one position or the other. It has heretofore been customary,

A convenient method of where such a-circuit-controlling device has been required, to have an auxiliary switch. mechanism arranged adjacent to and connected to the switclipoints for operation;

thereby. In accordance with my invention I associate with the switchlock all of the circuit controlling devices which? may ben making the installaonly a single casing; and the efficiency 0f a system is increased because there is less liability of disarrangeinent of or injury to the various mechanisms where they are all assembled together in single strongly-built casing. The switch device G, G and. K, K,

being. controlled directly by the lifting mechanism for the lockingkey, may be utilized to control any circuitswhich maybe desired for giving an indication or controlling a signal or the like when the lockingmagnethas been fully energized and has caused the lockingrkey to be lifted. In order to control circuits which are to become o 'ierative or inoperative asthe case may be, when the switch is in one position or the other, I provide a further switch mechanism which is not operated simply by the 21617113 ing mechanism for the locking key, but which requires the switch points I tov be thrown intooiie position or the other in; order to effect a change in the circuit conditions. Since the shaft B moves in synchronism with the switch points, such auxiliary contact devices may conveniently be actuit possible to place them. wholly within the casing. In the drawings I'have shown a lever or arm L pivotally mounted upon a bracket Z so as to bring one end into proximity to the shaft. A shoulder b is formed upon the shaft, either by cutting away part of the shaft or otherwise, at such a point that, upon oscillation of the shaft from the position shown, the shoulder engages with the adjacent end of the member L or a roller L carriedv thereby, and oscillates the arm about its pivot. The; arm may convenientlybe provided with an elongatedsection of insulation -L carrying separate contactpieces when the switch points are in one position and the other of-which is closed when the switch points are thrown intothe other position. It will be seen that the member will be oscillated in the same manner irrespectiveof the direction of rotation of the shaft from the position indicated, and therefore the lock may be connected to a'pair of switch points lying either to the right or to'the left of the casing as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3.

L is a spring which bears againstthe member L so as to retain it in the position indicated in the drawings when free to do so. This switch member is therefore positively moved in one direction whenever the switch points are thrown and is returned to its normal position through spring pressure. It will be of course understood that the number and arrangement of the contacts may be varied to suit any desired conditions, since those which I have illustrated are simply examples of satisfactory forms of circuit closing devices which depend for their operation either upon an unlocking of the track switch or upon actual movement of such switch from one position to another.

On account of the nature of the mechanism contained within the casing it is desirable to have a cover of some sort which will effectually prevent tampering with the contents of the casing and also prevent the entrance ofmoisture or dirt into the casing. At the same time the closing device should be such that access may readily be had to the interior of the casing without making it necessary for the operator to unscrew a number of nuts or bolts or other similar fastening devices: for screw-threaded devices are not only expensive and unsatisfactory in other ways, but they are apt to rust or corrode so that it might be impos sible to open the casing without considerable difficulty and without, perhaps, breaking some of the parts. I have illustrated a very simple and effective closure which may readily be removed and replaced without the use of special tools and which, when in place, securely seals the casing.

A indicates a cover which may take any desired form, the only essential requirement being that the covershall completely close the top of the casing. A groove (6 is formed in the under side of the cover, this groove being somewhat wider than the thickness of the side walls of the casing and being of such a shape that when the cover is properly superposed upon the casing, the top edgesof the side walls of the casing will enter into the groove. A gasket a of felt or other uitable material rests directly upon the up per edge of the casing and forms a com-' plete seal between the casing and the cover.

A is a hasp secured to one end of the casing by means of a staple A which is riveted or otherwise fastened in place, one leg of the staple passing through a perforation in the hasp. At the free end of the hasp is a pivoted tongue A which is adapted'to be is securely held in placeand cannot be removed without first removing the lock.- The hasp is preferably made of spring metal which is bent so that when the tongue A is removed from'the staple the haspassumes the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. leg der to engage the tongue with its staple Kit is necessary to press down upon the end of the hasp and therefore, after suclrenga eze'ent has been. effected. the hasp will be exerting a downward pressure upon the top of the cover throughout the entire length thereof and the joint between the cover and the casing will be maintained tight under all conditions on account of this pressure.

In Fig. 5'there is illustrated a system in which a portion of the contact devices of my improved locking apparatus are utilized.

Thus 0 is a switch with which the lock is associated and P is a push button located at a remote station from which the lock may be controlled. When the operator at the station presses the button a circuit is established from the right hand side of battery, P, through the lock magnet E, through the contactsv m, Z and m, through acircuit breaker or'the like associated with a signal P through the push button; through mag, net P controlling an indicator, and thence to the left hand terminal of the battery. Bypressing the button the locking magnet is energized and the switch unlocked simultaneously the indicator at the station is set; as soon as the switch is actually thrown the circuit of the locking magnet is interrupted atthe'contact m, m and the indicator drops to its normal position. s

In Fig. 6 I have shown "a slightly modified arrangement. Upon throwing the switch Q to the left'a circuit is completed from battery Q through a dwarf signal Q the contacts m. m, and l being included in this circuit, The switch must therefore. be occupying a predetermined position before the signal can be operated. By throwing' the double-throw switch to the right a circuit is completed through battery Q through the lccking magnet Eyand through a bell 0. located adjacent the outlying switch. By this arrangement the switch is unlocked and the trainman is notified through the ringing of the bell that this is so. V

In Fig. 7 there is shown an arrangement wherein still moreof the auxiliary contact devices are brought into play. Assuming that there is a trainman at the outlying Upon the lifting of the locking key one ofv the contacts 9 engages with its cooperating contact and a circuit is completed as fol lows: from the lower end of the battery B through wirer, through contacts g and in,

through contacts on, Z 771-, through hell R through wire 1', through bell R back to the top of the lower half of the battery. There fore as soon as the locking :ey is lifted the bells at the station and at the outlying switch. begin to ring and continue to ring.

until the switch is actually thrown, the throwing of the switch. of course interrupting the bell circuits at contacts m, m. As soon as the switch is thrown a circuit may be traced from the lower half of the battery through wire 0", through an indicator R at the station, through wire 1*, through contacts m, Z m thence by way of wire 1" iack to the battery. Consequently the indi-. cator at the station is actuated so as to show that the switch has been thrown.

Fig. 8 illustrates a still different arrangement. If a trainman at the outlying switch desires to attract the attention of the operator at the station he presses the push button S andthereupon a circuit is established from the lower end of the battery S through wire 8, through the push button S, through wire 8 through the bell. S back to the battery. The bell is therefore caused to ring. In the same way the operator can attract the attention of the trainman by pressing the button at the station. There upon a circuit is established from theintermediate terminal of the battery through the push button S through wire 3 through the bell S adjacent the switch, through wire 8 back to the battery. hen the operator desires to unlock the switch he closes the contact maker 3 and. thereupon a circuit is established from the upperterminal of the battery through the contact maker, through wire a through the locking magnet and thence by way of wire a back to the bat tery.

S is an indicator at the switch and by tracingthe circuits passing through this indicator it will be seen that the indicator is connected to wires 8 and s in parallel with the locking magnet; it being necessary, however, for the completion of this indicator circuit that one of the contacts 9 be in engagement with its cooperating contact is,

A circuit is thereby completed Therefore the indicator @will not be actuated, even when the locking magnet 51s energized, until after the unlocking has been completed: then the indicator will be set and.

the trainman will be apprised of the fact that the switch is in condition to be thrown.

In this arrangement, also, both of the bells will begin to ring when the lock is fully released and willcontinue to ring until :the

switch is thrown and the bell circuit interrupted. This particular bell circuit isas follows: from the lower terminal of thebattery through wire 8, through wire 8 through the bell S through wire 8 through the right hand contact 9 and is, through wire 8 through contact m, Z m, through wire 8 through the bell S to the intermediate terminal of the battery. After. the switch has been. thrown the indicator S at the station will be actuated so as to acquaint the operator with this fact. The indicator circuit may be traced asv follows:

from the intermediate terminal of the bat-1 tery, through the indicator, through wire 8 through contacts we, Z m, through wire a, through wire a, and wires back to the 1G'\ er terminal of the battery.

Vhile I have illustrated and described only a few simple circuit arrangements in order to make it clear inwhat manner the contact devices may be utilized, 1 ;do not desire to be limited to the particular circuit arrangements disclosed, for in its broader aspects my invention is applicable to various other circuit schemes or systems. Furthermore, the various mechanical. details illustrated do not define the bounds of inwardly projecting hubs, a revoluble shaft journaled in said hubs but prevented from moving axially therein, shoulders onv .the-

adjacent ends of said hubs arranged transrersely of said shaft, shoulders on-said shaft in position to aline with the shoulders on the hubs when theshaft occupies a predetermined position, a key interlocked with the shoulders on the hubs so. as to be free to move; into and out of engagement withthe shoulders on the shaft and at thesame time be held against a movement in the transverse direction, and means for actuating said key.

2. In a switch look, a casing having alined inwardly projecting hubs, a revoluble. shaft journaled in said hubs but prevented from 1 moving, axially therein, shoulders on the ad acent ends of sald hubs arranged trans versely of said shaft, shoulders on said shaft oonnectedto the outer end of the key for 10 in position to aline with the shoulders on moving the same from and toward the shaft. the hubs when the shaft occupies a prede- In testimony whereof, I sign this specifitermined position, a key in engagement With cation in the presence of two Witnesses.

- the shoulders on the hubs so as to be tree T to move into and out of engagement with EUGE1\E VOGEL' the shoulders on the shaft and at the same Witnesses: v time to be held against a movement in the WVM. F. FREUDENREIcI-I, transverse direction, and a lever pivotally HARRY S. GAITHERL Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

